A Tale of Two Cities — Page 11
The resemblance was not lessened by the accidental circumstance, that the mature Jerry bit and spat out straw, while the twinkling eyes of the youthful Jerry were as restlessly watchful of him as of everything else in Fleet-street.
La ressemblance n'était pas diminuée par la circonstance fortuite que le Jerry mûr mordait et crachait de la paille, tandis que les yeux pétillants du jeune Jerry le surveillaient avec autant d'inquiétude que tout le reste dans Fleet-street.
The head of one of the regular indoor messengers attached to Tellson's establishment was put through the door, and the word was given:
La tête de l'un des messagers intérieurs réguliers attachés à l'établissement de Tellson fut passée par la porte, et l'ordre fut donné :
"Porter wanted!"
« On demande un porteur ! »
"Hooray, father! Here's an early job to begin with!"
« Hourra, père ! Voilà un travail matinal pour commencer ! »
Having thus given his parent God speed, young Jerry seated himself on the stool, entered on his reversionary interest in the straw his father had been chewing, and cogitated.
Ayant ainsi souhaité bonne chance à son père, le jeune Jerry s'assit sur le tabouret, prit possession de son intérêt éventuel dans la paille que son père avait mâchée, et se mit à réfléchir.
"Al-ways rusty! His fingers is al-ways rusty!" muttered young Jerry.
« Tou-jours rouillé ! Ses doigts sont tou-jours rouillés ! » marmonna le jeune Jerry.
"Where does my father get all that iron rust from? He don't get no iron rust here!
« D'où mon père tire-t-il toute cette rouille de fer ? Il n'attrape pas de rouille de fer ici !
Vocabulary
- ressemblance
- Similarity or likeness between two things or people.
- était
- Past tense of 'être'; was, describing a past state.
- diminuée
- Reduced or lessened in degree or intensity.
- circonstance
- A circumstance or particular condition surrounding an event.
- fortuite
- Happening by chance; accidental or coincidental.
- mûr
- Mature or ripe; describing age or development stage.
- mordait
- Was biting; imperfect tense of 'mordre'.
- crachait
- Was spitting; imperfect tense of 'cracher'.
- paille
- Straw; dry stalks of grain used as material.
- tandis
- Used in 'tandis que' meaning 'while' or 'whereas'.
- yeux
- Eyes; plural of 'œil'.
- pétillants
- Sparkling or twinkling; describing lively, bright eyes.
- surveillaient
- Were watching or monitoring something carefully.
- autant
- As much or as many; expressing equal degree.
- inquiétude
- Worry or anxiety about something uncertain.
- reste
- The rest or remainder of something.
- tête
- Head; the uppermost part of the human body.
- messagers
- Messengers; people who carry or deliver messages.
- intérieurs
- Interior or internal; belonging to the inside.
- réguliers
- Regular or steady; occurring at consistent intervals.
- attachés
- Attached or assigned to a place or organization.
- établissement
- An establishment or institution; a place of business.
- fut
- Simple past of 'être'; was, in a formal narration.
- passée
- Passed through; past participle of 'passer'.
- porte
- Door or gate; an entrance to a building.
- ordre
- An order or instruction given to someone.
- demande
- Requests or asks for; third person singular of 'demander'.
- porteur
- A bearer or carrier who delivers letters or parcels.
- Hourra
- Hurray; an exclamation expressing joy or approval.
- père
- Father; a male parent or paternal figure.
- Voilà
- There it is; an expression pointing something out.
- travail
- Work or labor; a task or occupation.
- matinal
- Of or relating to the morning; early in the day.
- commencer
- To begin or start something.
- Ayant
- Present participle of 'avoir'; having done something.
- ainsi
- Thus or in this way; expressing manner.
- souhaité
- Wished or hoped for; past participle of 'souhaiter'.
- chance
- Luck or fortune; a favorable opportunity.
- assit
- Sat down; simple past of 'asseoir'.
- tabouret
- A stool; a small seat without a back.
- prit
- Took; simple past tense of 'prendre'.
- possession
- Ownership or control over something.
- intérêt
- Interest; concern or financial return on something.
- éventuel
- Possible or eventual; referring to a future possibility.
- mâchée
- Chewed; past participle of 'mâcher'.
- mit
- Put or set; simple past tense of 'mettre'.
- réfléchir
- To think or reflect; to ponder something carefully.
- Tou-jours
- Always or still; indicating constant or ongoing action.
- rouillé
- Rusty; covered with or affected by rust.
- doigts
- Fingers; the digits of the hand.
- rouillés
- Rusty; plural form describing fingers covered with rust.
- marmonna
- Muttered or mumbled; simple past of 'marmonner'.
- tire-t-il
- Does he draw or pull; inverted question form.
- rouille
- Rust; the reddish coating formed on iron.
- fer
- Iron; a common metallic element.
- attrape
- Catches or picks up; third person of 'attraper'.
- ici
- Here; indicating the present location.
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